Tom Yum Kung soup ต้มยำกุ้ง

  

     300 G SHRIMP, PRAWN or CHICKEN
1 CLOVE GARLIC, BASHED
2 STALKS LEMONGRASS, BASHED
3 – 4 RED/GREEN CHILIES, BASHED
3 – 4 KAFFIR LIME LEAVES, TORN IN HALF
2 MED CHUNKS OF GINGER or GALANGAL
2 BUNCHES OF CORIANDER ROOT, BASHED
1/2 ONION, QUARTERED
750 ML BOILING WATER
1 DSP TOM YUM POWDER or 1/2 CUBE STOCK
JUICE OF 1 LIME
1 TBSP FISH SAUCE, TO TASTE
1 TSP SUGAR, TO TASTE
2 SMALL RED or ORANGE PEPPERS, QUARTERED
1 SMALL TOMATO, QUARTERED
3 – 4 PATTYPAN SQUASHES, HALVED
3 SPRING ONION & PARSLEY TO GARNISH

Here is the first recipe in the Asian Chopping board series, courtesy of Racine Williams. A Thai style Tom Yum Kung, hot and sour soup. Made with a selection of pattypans and red peppers, traditionally the dish is made with mushrooms and baby aubergines. Hope you enjoy!    

PREPARATION  

Prepare all the fresh ingredients, such as the garlic, lemongrass, chili, ginger and root of coriander by bashing them. To do this, use the side of a heavy knife or cleaver and firmly press down on top of the knife with the heel of your hand. Tear the lime leaves in half, and add this along with the onion, the boiling water and the bashed herbs above to a medium sized pot. Add the Tom Yum powder or stock (can use chicken or vegetable stock as an alternative) to the soup and bring to a boil for about 3 – 4 minutes, while roughly chopping or quartering the red peppers, tomatoes and pattypan squashes. Next, add the shrimp or prawns, tomato, red peppers and pattypan squashes to the soup and gently boil for a further 5 – 8 minutes, as desired. Note, if using chicken, cut the chicken into small cubes and sauté to a partial cook with the onion prior to beginning the soup – the water and herbs can be added to the same pot used for the sautéing. Finally, add the juice of 1 lime, and the fish sauce and sugar to taste. Garnish with chopped spring onion and parsley.

Traditionally, Tom Yum Kung is prepared with mushrooms and baby aubergine instead of tomato, red pepper and pattypan squashes. However, the dish is highly versatile and can be prepared with a selection of fresh vegetables, but try to stick to the vegetable traditionally used in Asian cooking; the soup can also be served with sticky rice. Tom Yum Goong is another variant of this dish, to make it replace 200 ml of the water with coconut milk.           

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TOM YUM KUNG, HOT & SOUR SOUP

JUANITA'S BUTTERNUT SOUP

“There is nothing better than a hot bowl of creamy butternut soup on a cold winter’s night. Here is a simple recipe that my friend Juanita came up with. It may be simple, but it’s definitely the best butternut soup that I have tasted, enjoy…” 

2 MEDIUM SIZED BUTTERNUTS (±1.8kg)

1 ONION

1 CUBE VEGETABLE STOCK

BOILING WATER, TO COVER

MILK, TO CONSISTENCY

COARSE SALT AND FRESHLY GROUND BLACK

   PEPPER, TO TASTE

PREPARATION: Clean and peel the butternuts and the onion, deseed the butternuts and chop into chunks. Quarter the onions and place in a medium sized saucepan along with the butternut chunks and a cube of vegetable stock. Add just enough boiling water to the pot to cover the vegetables, don’t add too much water. Bring to the boil, and allow cooking till all the water has evaporated.

Once the butternut is cooked and the water has evaporated, blend with a hand blender (stick blender), while adding the milk till a desired consistency is reached.

Finally add the coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste and serve with garlic bread, baked to a crisp golden brown. As an alternative you may replace some, or all of the milk with pouring cream for a creamier soup; or Greek yoghurt for a creamier, but healthy alternative. 

Serves 4

Food Safety tip: Always remember when working with fresh fruits and vegetables to wash them properly under running water before eating or working with them, even if you intend to discard the peel. Potentially dangerous bacteria live on the skins of fresh fruits and vegetables, these organisms could be transferred to clean working surfaces if they are not pre-washed. Use of soap is not recommended. Scrub firm produce, such as butternuts and cucumbers with a clean produce brush.

For more Food Safety tips go to: 

http://www.fda.gov/food/resourcesforyou/consumers/ucm114299   

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JUANITA'S BUTTERNUT SOUP